Multicolor shuttle changing loom



A g 1933- L. s. VOSE 2,126,065

MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 9, 1938. 1.. s. VOSE MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed Apri14, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 9, 1938 L. s. VOSE MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1932 9 sheets-sheet 5 Aug. '9, 1938.. L. s. vosE I MULTICOLQR SHUTTLE CHANGING LIOOIVI M w e I Q i// Filed April 4, 1932 Au 1938. L, VOSE 2,126,065

MULT IGOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1932 9 Sheets Sheet 5 Aug. 9}, 1938. s. VOSE MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM 1 Filed April 4', 1932 9 Sheets-Shet e Aug. 9, 1938. L, V E 2,126,065

vMULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, [1932 9 Shets-Sheet 7 Jami/1 Aug, 9, 1938. L. s. VOSE MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug 9, L. VOSE MULTIGOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 jzlfal". v 113 1 6 Patented Aug. 9, 1938 watts UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Lewis Vose, Needham, Mass, assignor to Crompton &, Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, J Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 4, 1932, Serial No. 603,051

15 Claims. (01. 139-227) This is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Ser. No. 509,206, filed Jan. 16, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in multicolor shuttle changing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means whereby the multicolor shuttle changer principle may be applied to looms which normally come to rest to effect replenishment.

In multicolor weft replenishing looms there are usually employed two or more shuttles supplied with bobbins having differing wefts and feeler mechanism is provided to determine the amount of weft remaining in the shuttles. A stack of reserve shuttles is provided foreach weaving shuttle which may be put in action, and it is an importantobject of my present invention to provide means to replace a depleted weaving shuttle with a reserve shuttle having the same character of weft. This result may be accomplished through the action of a change or control shaft which operates shuttle advancing mechanism and is effective to present any selected shuttle from either of the stacks to a common position preparatory to insertion in the shuttle box.

In a well-known form of single color changer a change shaft is employed having cams and operating connections which act while the loom is at rest to eject the empty shuttle and insert a fresh shuttle in the shuttle box on the lay. It is a furtherimportant object of my present in vention to employ certain of the mechanisms found in this known type of single-color changer and to combine therewith other means all effective to produce a cycle of operations including a selecting step to determine which reserve stacks shall supply the needed shuttle before the loom stops, coupled with other mechanism which operates to release the selected shuttle after the loom stops.

Ifthe shuttle should roll as it drops to the receiver box for depleted shuttles, the weft issuing from the delivery eye will wrap around the shuttle. The shed is normally open, and there results a tensioning of the weft which will mar the finished fabric. It is a further object of my present invention to prevent a tight pick by pro- 'viding means to clamp the thread prior to any operation on the part of the outgoing shuttle which might act to tension the filling. This result I accomplish as set forth herein by means .of a clamp controlled through the shuttle ejecting mechanism, the clamp operating to catch the thread before the depleted shuttle is expelled from the shuttle box.

The shuttle magazine set forth hereinafter comprises a carrier to present the selected reserve shuttle to a conveyor which acts to move the selected shuttle into the shuttle box. It is a further object of my present invention to provide means for moving both carrier and the conveyor toward the lay by a yielding force which may be arrested to prevent breakage in the event of a misplaced shuttle.

With these and other objects in view which v10 will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a conv15 venient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of certain portions of a shifting shuttle box 100111 with my'inven tion applied thereto, i

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the feeler end of 20 the loom opposite the magazine,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the magazine end of the loom, parts being omitted,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of part of the structure shown in Fig. 3, some of the structure 25 being omitted for the sake of clearness,

Fig. 5 is a plan View taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 1,on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the magazine viewed from the center of the loom, parts being 30 omitted,

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectionon a larger scale, on line 1-1 of Fig'. 5,

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the operating connections for the selector mechanism and 35 the carrier of the magazine; Y

Fig. 9 shows the means for "actuating the selector mechanism from the box motion,

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line Hl--l0 of Fig. 6, showing the normal idle or resting posi- 40 tion of the conveyor and carrier and the arrangement of the carrier to actuate the escapement devices,

Fig. 11' is a horizontal section on line |ll I,

Fig. 6, showing the selector and escapement 45 devices in the act of delivering a shuttle from the rear magazine, parts being omitted,

Fig. 12 is a front elevation showing that part of the feeler mechanism and including the electro-magnet and switch and the means to effect 50 a change in the operation of the loom to initiate filling replenishment,

Fig. 13 is a plan view on an enlarged scale in the direction of arrow 13, Fig. 2,

Fig. 14 is a detail of the giveway on the lock- '55 ing motion, being a vertical section on line I 4l 4, Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the knock-off device of the center filling motion,

Fig. 16 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow I6, Fig. 15 and also of the knockoff dagger on the lay,

Fig. 17 is a detail of the device to prevent transfer of a shuttle to the lay in case of nonejection of the working shuttle, and

Fig. 18 shows the device for clamping the filling in its relation to other parts of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Ivhave shown a breast beam l, loom frame 2, and lay 3 pivoted at 4 and having swords 5. Shifting shuttle boxes 6 arranged to slide in guides I to bring either box cell level with race 8. Lifter rod 9 supports the boxes 6 and is actuated by a giveway link I0, connected between the rod and box lever ll moved by the box motion not shown. A change shaft l2 extends across the loom and performs the functions common to a' similar shaft in the usual single color Stafford shuttle changing mechanism, such as is shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,100,886 granted June 23, 1919, to S. S. Jackson. In addition, however, shaft l2 does additional work not called for in former Stafford changers.

A filling feeler mechanism'such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 593,814 acts to stop the loom upon deficiency of filling, and start rotation of shaft I2, one complete rotation of which effects weft replenishment and starts the loom running again.

The lay 3 has a top horn 20 supporting'two electric detector spring stressed needles 2| insulated from each other. A main control switch 22 on the loom frame has an arm 23, Fig. 12, to be moved by the shipper handle 24 to open the switch when the loom is stopped'for any reason. An electro-magnetic device 25 also on fixed structure acts when energized to lift a latch 26 (Fig. 2) normally below the path of a regularly moving actuator 21. The latter has a working forward stroke derived from cam 28 (Fig. 1) on the bottom or two-pick shaft 29 and preferably during the backward movement of the lay on which box shifting is completed. A battery 30 furnishes electric power.

When the boxes shift upwardly the weft of the top shuttle is moved against the needles, and if weft be absent or substantially depleted the metallic ferrule of the bobbin will electrically connect the needles, whereupon current will flow in the following circuit: battery 30, wire 3 I. switch 22, wire 32, electro-magnetic device 25, wire 33, both needles and bare ferrule, wire 34 to ground, and back from ground to battery 30 by wire 35. This results in an effort to raise latch 26 (Fig. 2), but the working stroke of the actuator 21 is so timed that it passes the notch 36 of the latch before the boxes move far enough to close the previously traced circuit, hence the latch is not moved on the backward movement of the lay when circuit is closed, but on the second backward movement thereafter. In this way assurance is given that control lever 31 is not rocked until the pickon which the empty shuttle is picked out of the drop boxes and toward the magazine at the opposite end. On the next working stroke of the actuator, the latch will be engaged before the shifting of the boxes lowers the empty bobbin away from the feeler needles, this relation maintaining the device 25 enerstud 48 mounted in slot 49 of said lever.

gized a sufiicient length of time. The lower detector 38 operates in the same manner, the corresponding circuit closing through wires 39 and 40.

The net result of the previously described operation is to rock lever 31 (Fig. 2), thereby stopping the loom and initiating a rotation of change shaft l2 by well-known means, such as shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,100,886.

The replenishing mechanism is located at the side of the loom opposite the detector and is controlled by devices on and operated by the change shaft. A cam (Fig. 3) on shaft l2 actuates a conveyor lever 46 through roll 41 on Lever 46 is pivoted at 50 on the loom frame and a spring 5| fastened to the frame acts on lever 46 at 52 to keep the roll in contact with the cam and draw said lever yieldingly toward the lay.

Box front 53 is raised by lifter 54 fulcrumed at 55 in stand 56 mounted on back of the lay through action of cam 51 on shaft l2 which actuates lever 58 connected to lifter 54 by connector 00 and fulcrumed at 6|. When the front 53 is elevated to an extent sufficient to permit ejection of a depleted shuttle, lifter 54 comes in contact with screw 62 in ejector lever 63, causing said lever to rock on shaft 64 mounted on lay carried stand 56, and move ejector 65 forward beneath binder 66 to push against the lower back portion of the exhausted shuttle and eject it forwardly off the lay.

The outgoing shuttle falls down apron 61 toward catcher box 68, being held from dropping to the box bottom by plate 69. The latter is fixed to a shaft 10 pivoted on the box and has mounted thereon a weighted lever H carrying a hook I2. Lever H is positioned so that as the conveyer lever 46 is moved forwardly at the beginning of replenishment, the hook will enter notch 13 in said lever. By the weighting of the shaft 10 the hook will tend to enter the notch, but will be restrained from doing so if a shuttle is resting on plate 69. Lever H is held against rocking under weight of the shuttle by engagement with a part of lever 46 when the latter is in normal forward position prior to its rearward movement incident to transfer. When the conveyor lever moves rearwardly it releases the lever TI and the shuttle falls into the box. It

can be readily seen that if no shuttle is ejected from the lay the hook will enter the notch in conveyor lever upon preliminary forward movement thereof and restrain said lever from conveying a fresh shuttle to the lay, thereby preventing two working shuttles from being on the lay at the same time.

A torsion spring 14 (Fig. 5) on shaft 64 operates on ejector lever 63 to restore it to normal position with stop 15 in contact with shaft 55 when lifter 54 descends. After shuttle ejection, the lifter descends until the ejector is withdrawn rearwardly to normal position, and a dwell portion of cam 51 holds front 53 at a distance above the shuttle race sufficient to permit entry into- I89 to the box lever.

tle, after which the conveyor 11 is withdrawn forwardly by the conveyor lever.

A cam 89 (Fig. 3) on shaft I2 engages a lever 8I fulcrumed at El and held against the cam by spring 82 between the frame and lever 8|. As cam 89 turns it presents at the proper time raised portion 83 to lever 8|, causing the top of the lever to move against collar 84 on a rod 85. Rearward movement of the rod rocks lever 86 fastened to shipper shaft 81 to restart the weaving instrumentalities of the loom.

The matter thus far described, except the shifting shuttle boxes, is substantially the same as that found in a Well-known one color shuttle changer which stops to effect shuttle change.

In accordance with this invention, there is combined with this known structure a plurality of magazines one for each shifting shuttle box. There are shown two magazines 99 and 9| (Fig. '7) each made of three sections. A front inner section 92 of intermediate length and a short outer section 93 are both fixed upon the third rear long section 94 by bolts 95 (Fig. 1). The third section is bolted to the inner, and outer magazine end frames 96 and 91 (Fig. respectively, being provided with angular flanges 98 for the purpose. Thus the third sections serve to space and tie together the. end walls or frames of the magazine.

The front sections of each magazine have their adjacent vertical edges spaced to define a thread slot, and the weft ends W and W (Fig. 5) of the front and back reserve shuttles S and S, respectively, are led through their slots to a common thread holder I99 mounted on the in.- ner frame 98.- The delivery eyes D of the shuttles are preferably located adjacent to or in alignment with the thread slots, so that vibration of the reserve shuttles will not abrade the yarns. The rear section 94 of the front magazine, being continuous between the end frames, defines a passageway for the wefts W, thus preventing them from becoming entangled with the front shuttles or their wefts. I

The inner magazine frame is mounted on the end of the breast beam, while the outer frame rests on a leg IlII (Fi 1) extending up from the floor, and tie rods I92 (Fig. 5) help to hold the end frames in rigid and properly spaced relation.

Selector mechanism is employed to cause shuttle delivery to'take place from the magazine corresponding to the depleted weavingshuttle. Accordingly, each magazine has-a rock shaft I93 with control fingers I94 fastened thereto, see Fig. 7. The rockshafts are mounted in lugs on the rearward sides of the magazines, two fingers being used on each rockshaft. The fingers of each rockshaft are movable under the corresponding magazine to prevent delivery of tle from the magazine. I

The fingers are so moved that delivery can take place from but one magazine at a time, namely, the one corresponding to the weaving shuttle to be ejected. This control is exercised by the box motion lever II as is rises and falls. A rockthe bottom shutshaft I86, see Figs. 1 and 9, journaled in angularly adjustablearms I01 on the loom frame, has secured thereto an arm I08 connected by link At the magazine end the rockshaft carries an arm III] (Fig. 8) having an adjustable connection with a rod head III on upwardly extending link H2. The latter connects with arm II3 fixed on the rear shaft I03. This last named shaft carries an arm I I4 having 2. pin and slot connection with a similar arm II5 on the front shaft I93.

Thus the shafts I93 are given equal but opposite angular movements each time the box rod 9 is moved to shift the boxes, and the delivery in turn is synchronously shifted from one magazine to the other. By reason of the slotted connections shown, the proper amount of motion for the fingers I94 can be derived from the box lever.

Escapement devices are provided in connection with each magazine to release the bottom shuttle in eachmagazine and thereby permit selection. by the fingers I04. These escapement devices also act to prevent escape ofmore than one shuttle at a time from the selected magazine. One such device is located at each end of each magazine, and each escapement comprises a pair of short vertical rock-shafts II8' (Figs. and 11) journaled in bearings II'I on brackets II8 of end frames 96. Each shaft II 6 has a shoulder seating on top of its bearing and has secured thereto a long lower arm I I9 (Fig. 11) and a short upper arm I29 above the bearing. The arms are adjustable along their shafts to accommodate shuttles of varying heights, and angularly with respect to each other to adjust the time of escape of the shuttles.

The arms are so proportioned that when the end of the long arm H9 is normally under a shuttle to support a whole stack of shuttles the short arm will swing out of the path of descending shuttles, as shown in magazine 99, Fig. 11, but when the arms are in the position shown in magazines 9!, Fig. 11, the bottom shuttle will be free todrop from the magazine, the short arms acting to prevent descent of the shuttles above the bottom one which has thus been delivered. As the arms return to their normal position, the shuttle resting on the upper arms drops to the lower arms ready for the next operation. These escapement devices, as stated, are located one at each end of each magazine and the arms of any pair are operated simultaneously, hence the shuttles are lowered in perfectly horizontal relation. The supporting ends of the arms are broadened andreduced in thickness to facilitate their entry beneath the shuttles.

In order to transport a released shuttle to the previously described conveyor, I providea carrier' I2I see Fig. 10, having at eachend a supporting portion I22, Fig. 4. Each of said portions slides freely in a slot or track I23, Fig. 7, formed on each magazine end frame, the tracks being inclined downwardly and rearwardly so that the path of the carrier will intercept the arc of travel of the conveyor 46. By this. ar-

rangement there will be rapid divergence of the respective paths of the carrier and conveyor, permitting the latter to pass the carrier and assume a position nearer the front of the loom, from which position the conveyor moves rearwardly to take the shuttle from the carrier. The carrier IZI is common to all the magazines, the tracks. being long enough to permit the necessary travel of the carrier. The latter is provided with horizontal fingers I23a (Fig. 10) to receive a shuttle released from the selected magazine, these fingers being upturned at their front ends and bolted to the carrier with capacity for vertical adjustment on the carrier to arrange for proper interception of the shuttle by the conveyor I'll, see Fig. 10. End stopsIM are provided at each end of the carrier to limit lengthwise displacement of the shuttle at transfer.

To actuate the carrier the end of each portion .1

J 122 .isequipped wltha stud I25 (Figlfi) extending through slot I23 in each magazine end frame. Each stu'd lies in a slot I2! in the lower end of an actuating lever I28 fixed on each end of a top shaft I29 pivoted in the top parts of the end frames. A crank I30 secured to the top shaft is pivotally connected to'a link I3I, (see Figs. 6 and 8) and'reciprocated by a cam lever I32 (Fig. 8) pivoting about the fixed center 50. The cam lever is actuated downwardly by a cam I33 on the change shaft I2. This actuation of the carrier I2I under shuttle delivering magazines by the change shaft with the loom at rest is believed to be new in this type of loom. A spring I34 acts to hold the cam I33 and its cam lever in working relation, but permits the carrier to stop if obstructed in its rearward transferring movement. Adjustments of movements of the carrier and levers I28 are provided as suggested in Fig. 8.

Through the use of the carrier as an intermediate transferring member, there is avoided the necessity of dropping the shuttles below the level of the breast beam in delivering them from the magazines to the conveyor. The carrier and shuttles can therefore move over the breast beam and loomside and it is unnecessary to alter the relation between the frame and lay of existing looms. There is also avoided the need to drop the shuttles'through'any great distance when delivering from the magazines, so that the chance of the delivered shuttle rebounding out of its desired position upon the carrier is reduced to a minimum. The magazines are arranged with their bottoms at equal heights above the inclined path of the carrier, just'enough space being left between such magazines with their selector devices and the carrier to permit rearward movement of a shuttle by the carrier.

While the carrier travels in a path inclined downwardly and rearwardly, it is to be noted that the supporting fingers I 23a are slantedupwardly to cause the shuttle to' settle back against the substantially 'vertical carrier abutment or rear face I35 as the shuttle is borne rearward and downward. The fingers I8 on the conveyer are enabled to pass freely beneath the shuttle on the carrier without danger of their rearward extremities engaging with the shuttle bottom and thrusting it off to escape from both transferring members.

The release of the bottom shuttle from the selected magazine and delivery to the carrier fingers I23a are both conveniently effected in the present instance through the movement of the carrier itself. The carrier is formed at each end with a cam I36, Fig. 10, and. these cams, in the forward travel of the carrier; engage rocker 1evers I 31 fixed on the vertical'shafts IIB. 'As the carrier moves forwardly from its normal rear position, the cams I36 rock the arms H9 and I20 to release the bottom shuttles of the magazines successively.

Springs I38 act to turn the vertical-shafts II6 against the action of the cams I36. It will be seen, therefore, that forward movement of the carrier operates the escapement devices, but the selector fingers I 04 permit delivery from one magazine only and prevent discharge of the bottom shuttle of the other magazine. I

The cam I33 (Fig. 8) is shaped to make the carrier pause a moment in its forward movement under each stack or magazine, to receive properly any shuttle which might fall to the carrier. The cams I36 (Fig. 10) are long enough to hold the arms I I 9'and I20 in releasing position during the full forwardtravel of the carrier to avoid releasing two shuttles from the selected magazine which might result at the rear magazine if the corresponding shafts II6 should oscillate twice.

After receiving the proper shuttle, the carrier moves rearwardly to a position slightly behind the conveyor in the simultaneous'rearward travel of these two parts. In thisconnection, it is to be noted that the conveyor has a preliminary forward movement to clear the path of the carrier, and also to place the hook 12 to enter the notch "I3 as already described. I I wish it to be understood, however, that the conveyor can be so controlled as to rest normally in foremost position and start to move rearwardly when the rear motion described herein occurs, without the small preliminary forward stroke. Thus. as the carrier is coming to rest the conveyor overtakes it and through travelling in an intersecting path moves the shuttle off the fingers I23w through engagement of the shoulders 19 on the conveyor with the front side of the shuttle. 'The shuttle. thereafter rests on the conveyor in the usual manner and is conveyed under the raised front wall 53 and into the shuttle box. The conveyor thereafter returns forwardly to its normal resting position shown approximately in Fig. 8, and the carrier may remain in normal rearward position.

Upon completion of a replenishing cycle the lever 8| moves rearwardly to start the loom and the weaving proceeds. The rockers I31 are free of the cams I 36, and the shuttles in the several magazines remain supported by the long arms I I9 until need again arises for replenishment.

, As is customary on looms for fine fabrics, I employ a center filling stop motion of a well known type so that each pick can be detected. The lay has a stand I40 (Fig. 16) to which is pivoted a dagger I4I weighted so that its front pointed end tends to rise. The fork has tines I42 movable about a lay carried pivot I43 and secured to a small rocking. element I44. A link I45 connects the fork and dagger. and a reciprocating rod I46 acts every pick to raise the fork. The parts are so related that the dagger will be held down when weft is present, but will rise if weft be absent in theshed.

The shipper shaft I41, to which handle 24 is fixed has a finger I48 secured thereto and supporting a flat spring I49. A stand I50 on the breast beam supportsa stub shaft I i on which rocks a transmitting arm I 52 lying just behind finger I48. 'A notch I53 in the arm is adapted to receive the dagger when raised as the lay advances.

A shield I54 is loosely pivoted on shaft I 5| and when down covers the notch. A resetting rod I55 is arranged to engage the lay when the shield is in the down position shown in Fig. 16, and thus rock the shield back to normal non-shielding weaving condition as the lay advances after the loom has stopped. It should be noted that the dagger passes beyond the notch before the rod and lay coact to reset the shield, so that on the first pick after loom stoppage the stop motion is incapable of stopping the loom should filling be absent from the shed. This is a normal operation necessitated by the conditions growing out of the manual correction of a mispick. A spring lock I56 yields to allow a hub I51 on the shield to rise, said spring thereafter retaining the shield yieldingly raised. When the shipper shaft rocks counter-clockwiseas viewed in Fig. 16, the spring I49 will overpower spring I56 and move the shield down. The. center stop motion is not new, and is set forth to illustrate a shielded type of motion such as found on certain looms.

This operation of the shield would permit the loom to restart after replenishment and continue running even though the last pick laid by the outgoing shuttle were defective, unless means were provided to prevent continued loom operation under these conditions.

The means which I employ herein to detect a mispick on the beat when weaving is resumed includes the usual side stop motion modified, if desired, as shown in the U. S. Patent No. 1,100,660 to Jackson, although the altered tines shown in that patent need not be used, since the center stop motion shown herein will detect weft independently of the side motion.

Side stopmotions are well understood, and I show parts of one herein for purposes of illustration in Figs. 1 and 5. The lay has a grid I60 along which the weft lies when the shuttle is boxed at the magazine side of the loom. A tiltable fork I6! is pivoted to a slide I62 mounted for back and forth motion on a guide I63 on the breast beam. A loop I84 formed as part of the fork extends forwardly to coact with an actuator head I65 having a regular forward motion on alternate picks when the shuttle is boxed on the adjacent end of the lay.

When weft extends across the grid, the fork is tilted and the head moves forwardly on an idle stroke. Should the weft be absent, however, the fork remains in position to permit the head to engage the loop, after which continued forward motion of the head will cause the slide to move forwardly. This results in movement of a knockoff lever I66 as will be understood by reference to Fig. 5 and there follows the customary movement I of parts to stop the loom.

When the lay stops to replenish, the flat spring I49 on the shipper shaft lowers the shield to cover notch I53. When starting up after replenish,- ment, therefore, the dagger MI, even though raised as a result of the defective pick, will be deflected away from the notch. The shield will be reset later in the forward beat of the lay, and it is during this interval that the side fork will operate to stop the loom. It is sufficient if the side fork operates only on replenishing beats of the lay, since the center motion detects every pick except the one when shuttle change occurs. Under the assumed conditions the lay will start up after replenishment, but will be stopped by the side fork.

Another feature of the invention relates to a thread clamp to preserve the tension of the last pick laid by the expelled shuttle. In bobbin changers the outgoing bobbin leaves the weft in the shuttle eye, thereby preserving the tension should the yarn unwind completely from the bobbin. Under similar circumstances in a shuttle changer, however, the yarn would pull out of the shuttle eye and the tension be lost.

To prevent this undesirable condition I form the inner magazine frame with a rear arm I15 (Figs. 4 and 18) and pivot thereon a bell crank lever I16 as at I11. An arm I18 rigid with arm I28 rocks with the latter at replenishment. An adjustable pin and slot connection between arm I18 and lever I16 moves the lower arm I19 of said lever. A clamp support I is pivoted to arm I19 at I8I and held yieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 4 by tension spring I82. Stops limit the amount of relative motion of the parts about pivot I8I under spring action.

. A retaining hook I83 pivoted to the frame is positioned by a stop I84 and is freely movable upwardly. The lower end of the support I80 has fixed and'pivoted clamping blades I85 and I86, respectively. .The movable blade has a depending actuating closing finger I81 and an upper opening lug I88.

, Normally, the blades are in the closed position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but at replenishment, with the lay at restin rear position, the lever I28 will move forwardly, as described to move the shuttle carrier forwardly. At the same time, the clamp support I80 will move rearwardly, causing the hook to open the frictionally retained movable blade to assume the position shown in Fig. 18. This releases any previously received thread, and forms a notch I89 to receive the thread of the outgoing shuttle, which is later cut at the selvage.

Continued rear motion of the support causes finger I81 to strike the temporarily stationary lay to return the movable blade to normal position relatively to the support, thereby clamping the thread of the outgoing shuttle.

As the shuttle carrier I2I moves rearwardly with lever arm I28, the system of parts movable about pivot I11 returns to the normal forward position shown in Fig. 3, the hook camming up over the lug I88. If there be no thread for the clamp to grasp, the side stop motion will stop further weaving, but if weft be present and held across the fork by the clamp, conditions are proper for continued weaving, and the temporary disability of the fork to detect because of the clamped thread will do no harm.

The carrier moves forwardly by a positive motion derived from its actuating cam and therefore moves the shuttle engaging wall positively in a direction away from the shuttle, so that any shuttle improperly delivered by the magazine will not be subject to a positive force. The rear motion of the carrier which advances the shuttle engaging wall I35 (Fig. 7) toward a shuttle is resilient or yielding, so that a misplaced shuttle will be able to arrest rearward movement of the wall and carrier and avoid damage.

The thread clamp shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is not claimed herein but forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 2,004,681, issued June 11, 1935.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I donot wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a lay and a shuttle, a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttles, discharge means to eject a depleted shuttle from the lay, a carrier common to all of said stacks of shuttles and operable simultaneously with said discharge means to advance a selected reserve shuttle from the stack corresponding to the active shuttle rearwardly toward the lay, a conveyor to transfer a selected shuttle from the carrier to the lay, and means to prevent operation of the conveyor to move the selected shuttle to the lay if the discharge means fails to eject the depleted shuttle from the lay.

2. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a lay and a shuttle, a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttles, discharge means to eject the depleted shuttle from the lay, a carrier common to all of said stacks of shuttles and operable simultaneously with said discharge means to advance a selected reserve shuttle from the stack corresponding to the depleted shuttle rearwardly toward the lay, a conveyor operable subsequentlyto the movement of .the discharge means and carrier to transfer the'selected shuttle from the carrier to the lay, and means to prevent operation of the conveyor if the discharge means fails to eject the depleted shuttle.

3. A loom having in combination, a lay, a shuttle box in active picking position on the lay, reserve shuttle magazines, means to effect delivery of a reserve shuttle from a selected magazine, a movable carrier to receive a selected reserve shuttle, and a conveyor movable to transfer the selected weft supply from the carrier in a substantially horizontal direction into the shuttle box.

4. A loom having in combination, a lay, a shuttle box in active picking position on the lay, reserve shuttle magazines, means for selecting the magazine next to effect delivery of a shuttle, means for effecting delivery of a shuttle from such selected magazine, a carrier to receive and advance such shuttle, and a conveyor adapted to transfer the shuttle from the carrier into said shuttle box, said conveyoreffective to move the a shuttle in the same general direction in which said shuttle is advanced by the carrier.

5.'In a shuttle changing loom having a lay which remains at rest in rear position during the shuttle changing operation, a shuttle box on the lay,-a plurality of groups of reserve shuttles arranged in front of the lay, the depleted shuttle movable from the lay at rest toward the reserve shuttles, and means to move a shuttle from under any selected group into the shuttle box along a 1; path the major component of which is horizontal,

said means including two devices one of which moves under the groups to engage and deliver a shuttle to be changed to the other device, said other device movablerearwardly from the groups toward the lay to place the shuttle into the shuttle box.

6. A loom having in combination a lay, a shirttle box in active picking position on the lay, reservev shuttle magazines, a conveyor adapted to transfer shuttle directly 'intothe'shuttle' box, a

carrier. receiving the reserve shuttle from the magazines and delivering it to the conveyor, and devices in connection with the magazines to effect delivery of a reserve shuttle therefrom, actuated by the carrier after the latter is called into action.

7. A loom having in combination, a lay, stationary reserve shuttle magazines, transferring means acting to advance a reserve shuttle from one of the magazines toward the lay, devices in connection with each magazine actuated by the means tending to effect delivery of a reserve shuttle from each magazine, and selector mechanism preventing delivery of a weft supply from all but one of the magazines, said transferring means common to the reserve shuttle magazines.

8. A loom having, in combination, a lay, stationary reserve shuttle magazines, means for advancing a reserve shuttle from any one of the magazines toward the lay, escapement devices tending to effect delivery of a shuttle from each magazine whenever transfer to the lay is to be effected, and means actuated independently of the escapement devices to determine from which magazine delivery of a weft carrier is to be e1- fected.

9. A loom having in combination a lay, a plurality of stationary reserve shuttle magazines, an escapement device for each. magazine for delivering one shuttle at a time, selector mechansm effective. to limit' delivery 'fron'r. but one magazine at a time; and means common to the magazines for advancing a shuttle from any magazine toward the lay, said means including an element which successively actuates all of said escapement devices to effect delivery of a shuttle from the selected magazine and thereafter carry the released shuttle to the lay.

10. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a lay, a plurality of magazines for reserve shuttles, a carrier having a shuttle receiving stroke away from the lay to receive shuttles delivered by the magazines, and said carrier having a shuttle delivery stroke toward the lay, and means to cause a dwell of the carrier on its receiving stroke as it reaches each magazine, sufficient to permit a released shuttle to drop by gravity onto said carrier.

11. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a lay, a plurality of reserve shuttle magazines, a carrier having a shuttle receiving stroke with respect to all of the magazines a't'the time of replenishment, a shuttle moving wall forming ment of the carrier as the latter reaches each magazine on its shuttle-receiving stroke, sufficient to permit a released shuttle 'to'drop by gravity onto said carrier, and means to thereafter move the carrier yieldingly in the opposite direction and to thereby move the wall against any shuttle dropped by the magazines and propel such a shuttle toward the lay'.

12. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a lay, a plurality of reserve shuttle magazines,'reserve shuttle release mechanism for the magazines, a carrier having a receiving stroke under all of the magazines at the time of replenishment to actuate the release mechanism and receive a shuttle released from any magazine, and means to cause a dwell of the carrier as it reaches each magazine in its receiving stroke sufiicient to permit a released shuttle to drop by gravity onto said carrier. s

'13.;In a multicolor; shuttle changing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box, a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttles in front of the lay, means to expel a depleted shuttle from the shuttle box forwardly of and away from the lay toward said stacks, and a pair of devices to move a shuttle from under any stack to the shuttle box, one of said devices being common to all of said stacks and operable during operation of said expelling means to move a shuttle fr om under any stack rearwardly to the other device without crossing the path of the expelled shuttle, and said other device thereafter moving the shuttle along part of the path of the expelled depleted shuttle into the shuttle box after the, depleted shuttle hasbeen expelled from the lay.

14. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a single shuttle box permanently in picking position relatively to the lay, a plurality of stacks of reserve shuttles, and means to move a shuttle from under any stack to the shuttle box along a path the major component of which is horizontal, said means including two separate shuttle moving devices each of which engages and move the selected shuttle rearwardly, one device moving the shuttle being changed into a position from which the other device conveys the shuttle into the shuttle box the said shuttle being changed being in picking position relatively to the lay as soon as said shuttle enters the box because of the position of the latter on the lay.

15. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a shuttle box on the lay permanently in picking position relative to the lay, a plurality of vertical reserve shuttle magazines mounted side by side, mechanism to release a single selected reserve shuttle at atime from the magazines, means common to all of said magazines for advancing a released shuttle from the magazines toward the shuttle box on the lay, said means being moved successively under said magazines to receive a shuttle released by said release mechanism, and means to effect delivery of said selected shuttle direct to the shuttle box, the selected shuttle being in picking position on the lay when positioned in said shuttle box.

LEWIS S. VOSE. 

